James R | On 21, Aug 2019

RuPaul’s Drag Race arrives on BBC Three this October, and now, we have our first look at the 10 queens set to compete for the title of the UK’s first Drag Race Superstar.

The US Series of RuPaul’s Drag Race is a cult global phenomenon and since the announcement of the first UK adaptation of the show there has been frenzied fan speculation about the line-up. Handpicked for their huge slaying potential by Mama Ru herself, this eclectic group of queens are a showcase of what the UK drag scene has to offer.

RuPaul says: “Each of the UK queens is so unique, so courageous and so special. I can’t wait for the UK – and the world – to fall in love with them the same way I did.”

The ten competing queens are Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea, Crystal, Cheryl Hole, Divina De Campo, Gothy Kendoll, Sum Ting Wong, Scaredy Kat, The Vivienne, Vinegar Strokes. All ten queens will be at Manchester Pride Live for the Manchester Pride Festival on Saturday 24th August for their first official appearance.

You can see them in action on the show from 3rd October, when Drag Race UK premieres at 8pm on BBC iPlayer, with new episodes arriving at the same time each Thursday.

Here’s the full rundown of the queens hoping to sashay away with viewers’ hearts:

Baga Chipz

“Well, I’m Baga Chipz MBE, I’m 29 and I’m from London. Baga Chipz is a pub queen; tart with a heart; Like someone’s auntie I give advice on how to pull fellas and how to get pissed. I’m not one of these gorgeous beautiful Kate Moss lookalike drag queens. My style is more cabaret, old school, sequin frocks, Shirley Bassey, Danny La Rue, Lily Savage kind of drag. I’m common as muck, Baga Chipz from Walthamstow.”

Blu Hydrangea

“Blu Hydrangea is like a GCSE art project, high fashion from outer space, a cartoon character – with muppet realness. She is queen of the makeup brush and her strength lies in her mug. Not only am I a look queen but I can dance, I can perform, I can do some funny movements to make people laugh.”

Divina De Campo

“I’m Divina De Campo, I’m 35 and from Brighouse in West Yorkshire. My act is a massive variety of different things. You’ll get some opera, Italian aria, some pop tunes, some show tunes, some blue tunes I like sing things that are a bit more challenging or exciting that makes people say: ‘Oh my god, I wasn’t expecting that.'”

Crystal

“I’m Crystal, I’m 34 and I’m originally from Canada but I have been living in London for the past 10 years as I have a British passport and dual citizenship through my mother, so I’m British! Crystal is a ‘mess with your brain’ kinda drag queen. She stands for tearing down gender constructs using creativity, looks, and fashion and crazy performances. I do aerial circus, I can crack a whip, put cigarettes out on my tongue – it’s a freak show. It’s unexpected. It’s nothing you have ever seen before.”

Sum Ting Wong

“I’m Sum Ting Wong, I’m 30 and I live in Reading. My drag comes from singing. I was a little emo kid at 12 years old and I loved to sing. I can’t be a singer out of drag. I am a Chinese male who’s overweight and losing his hair. I’m never gonna make it like that so drag helped me, and the 12 year old me, finally live out my dream of performing and singing. That’s the only reason I put all of this on – so I can perform and sing. It’s the best job in the world.”

Cheryl Hole

“I’m Cheryl Hole, I’m 25 years old and I’m from the glamorous land of Essex. I’m a dancing diva, I’m known for my dance moves, death drops and pure entertainment and that’s what you want from a drag queen isn’t it?”

Gothy Kendoll

“My name is Gothy Kendoll, I’m 21 and I’m from Leicester. My name comes from my friend who described me as a Ken doll but a gothy one because I used to be wear loads of black, have really black hair, but also be really tanned and wear loads of makeup!”

Vinegar Strokes

“I’m Vinegar Strokes, I’m 35 years and I’m from London and yes I’m a proper London lady, zone five. I am a straight up comedy queen, I do stand-up comedy, I sing in my own particular style. I’m like Tina Turner meets Lizzo meets Kat Slater.”

Scaredy Kat

“I’d say my style of drag is probably very pink, very cute and very feline-esque. It’s very camp, exciting, colourful and bold. Cute, pink and scared – like a nervous flamingo. I’m unique and another that makes me unique is that I’m the youngest queen ever on Drag Race. At the moment, I do a lot of drag alone in my house but I’ve made quite a lot of videos – music videos, lip-sync videos, arty stuff and pictures, creative things. I want to change that and I need to be on a stage in front of millions of people because the attention just has to be on me right now.”

The Vivienne

“I am The Vivienne, I’m 27 years old and I’m from the gorgeous town of Liverpool. I’m an engaged lady and I live for my fiancé. And I’m here to win the crown of the first ever RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, so bring it on!”

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